best ipad for reading-- Uses for the Ipad?--and can you hold the ipad4 with one hand?

[knottyapple]

I'm sorry, I do see that there is another Ipad4 vs Ipad mini thread on here but my questions are slightly different.

I'm looking at buying an Ipad as a replacement for my old, beat-up laptop. I want to use the Ipad mainly for reading, but also perhaps for instant messaging, forum posting, youtube, movies, music and entertainment in general.

My first question is, since my primary purpose for the ipad will be for reading: which Ipad is best for spending a lot of time reading? I know the Ipad mini doesn't have the retina display, and a review I saw online said that it can strain and hurt the eyes when reading for extended periods. On the other hand the Ipad4 does have a retina display, but it is bulky and possibly can fatigue your arm(s) after an extended period of time.

My second question is, is the Ipad a good device for self education? I'm not going to school or anything but I do enjoy learning things online and hopefully eventually want to be able to take self study courses online.

Lastly, I just wanted to know if the Ipad4 can be held comfortably with one hand.

Thanks.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that I don't have transportation to access an Apple store.

 

[MoonlitSonata]

I use the ipad mini for reading for hours at a time with no problems at all. I even wound up giving away my 4 in favor of the mini.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Do you have access to Target, Walmart, Best Buy? They sell iPads. You can try them out.

No, you cannot hold an iPad 4 for extended periods with one hand for reading books and such. But you can buy stands if you need. I seem to remember one user saying that he/she cradled it between palm and upper arm for reading, but that doesn't seem comfortable to me at all.

Eyesight varies among individuals. I can read onscreen for hours and hours without problem, but I've read that some people can't. It's true that retina screen is clearer, especially with type, but non-retina screens don't bother me. If I'm reading, I'm immersed in the material, not focusing on whether type is crisp. But again, that's my eyesight and reading focus, not necessarily others'.

You could always wait for the next mini iPad, which is expected to have retina screen. It probably will be introduced in the fall, though it'd be great if it appeared sooner.

 

[s2mikey]

Do you have access to Target, Walmart, Best Buy? They sell iPads. You can try them out.

No, you cannot hold an iPad 4 for extended periods with one hand for reading books and such. But you can buy stands if you need. I seem to remember one user saying that he/she cradled it between palm and upper arm for reading, but that doesn't seem comfortable to me at all.

Eyesight varies among individuals. I can read onscreen for hours and hours without problem, but I've read that some people can't. It's true that retina screen is clearer, especially with type, but non-retina screens don't bother me. If I'm reading, I'm immersed in the material, not focusing on whether type is crisp. But again, that's my eyesight and reading focus, not necessarily others'.

You could always wait for the next mini iPad, which is expected to have retina screen. It probably will be introduced in the fall, though it'd be great if it appeared sooner.

Agreed. You really have to try each one out. You may find that the larger screen of the regular iPad is to your liking. Or, you may find that the size of the mini iPad is the cats meow for you. IMO, the only advantage the mini has is the super light weight factor. The larger ipad wins out on everything else.

 

[AQ_OC]

IME, it depends on what you're reading. Kindle books display fine on the mini...but some electronic magazines do not. And some webpages require a zoom to be easy to read on the mini....so there is no clear answer here, but in general I can read just fine on my mini, though I do appreciate the retina screen.

If you handhold your iPad a lot, then the fatigue factor will eventually show up. The mini will seem like a big deal after you've grown use to holding the full-sized iPad. But frankly, that should not be a deciding factor because you don't have to handhold the iPad. Either get a case, a stand, or put it in your lap.

Frankly, I would not buy a mini right now....it's essentially May now...we know another model will show up before the end of the year. The iPad 4, on the other hand, will be useful and current for at least another two years. If the new mini has retina screen and beefed up internals, then the current model will "feel" (and be viewed) even more dated (not that it won't still be useful for the same reasons it is now).

 

[mrcupu]

if you dont use the stand then use the rubber like grip they selling at amazon which extend between 2 edges in the back of the ipad so that we can hold it with one hand like a painting palette although will not comfort for long time but at lease you can use one hand to hold :thumbs:

 

[dianne137]

I never hold my ipad to read or watch.I have arthritis in my hands. I use my Moshe stand and the arm of my chair ,table or even bathroom cabinet for a movie and a soak.Can sit it any where to view .

 

[s2mikey]

I never hold my ipad to read or watch.I have arthritis in my hands. I use my Moshe stand and the arm of my chair ,table or even bathroom cabinet for a movie and a soak.Can sit it any where to view .

I love your avatar.....what is it or where did you get it?

 

[gresh14]

I never hold my ipad to read or watch.I have arthritis in my hands. I use my Moshe stand and the arm of my chair ,table or even bathroom cabinet for a movie and a soak.Can sit it any where to view .

Where did you buy your moshe stand? I tried goggling it but cant seem to find it? Am I spelling it correctly?
Thank You

 

[Somerled]

See, this is why you have to go find out for yourself. I can sit and hold my iPad 3 with one hand for extended periods - including on a plane for watching movies with no tray-table. I don't find it heavy at all. Get outta the chair and put hands on.

 

[AQ_OC]

See, this is why you have to go find out for yourself. I can sit and hold my iPad 3 with one hand for extended periods - including on a plane for watching movies with no tray-table. I don't find it heavy at all. Get outta the chair and put hands on.

Until you get one home you can't tell if it is good for holding for extended periods or not. I have held mine for extended periods, but once I felt how light the GN7 or mini is, that's when I said why bother holding that heavy tablet.

 

[dianne137]

Where did you buy your moshe stand? I tried goggling it but cant seem to find it? Am I spelling it correctly?
Thank You

MOSHI.......at our mac store in Victoria b.c. On Quadra st.

 

[Kaykaykay]

If you're reading a book at eye level, you might want a better stand than usual, to avoid giving yourself neck or hand probs over time.

I often read for several hours at a time, and I noticed that holding an iPad for that long over extended periods gave me achy elbows or a sore neck, depending on how I held my iPad. I've been using iPads for three years and I wish I'd bought this from day one, because this stand is amazing if you're a reader:

Amazon.com: LEVO Deluxe iPad Floor Stand for all iPads Galaxy Xoom Nook and Other eBooks and Tablets: Computers & Accessories

It's relatively expensive as tablet stands go, but it should last years and years given its quality build, and the fact that it fits tablets of any size and brand. (I try to avoid buying accessories that fit only one model or brand, to get the most bang for my buck.) The price of this stand also is reasonable considering how much achy joints or doctor's visits cost.

The OP says his/her primary iPad use will be for reading, which I find different from movie watching, because I can hold my iPad propped against an arm rest or such for movies and it doesn't need to be in the same position for hours, as with reading and needing a book at good eye level. People who read a lot often have diff needs for stands than people who read only occasionally.